Lock-hook for hats, coats, &amp;c.



Patented Apr. l0, I900. F. PETERS &. F. OI- ILIGER. LOCK HOOK FOB HATS, COATS, 81.0.

(Appliation filed Apr. 10, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

INVENTOR man 7 WITNESSES:

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ATTORNEYS 1 NCRRIS PETERS cc. wmoumo. wasulucmn. \av c.

No. 647,324. Patented Apr. I0, I900.

F. PETERS &. F. OHLIGER.

LOCK HOOK FOR HATS COATS 8m 2 Sheets-$heet 2.

(No Model.)

' INVENTVOSRQ' WITNESSES:

BY I

NITE STATES FREDERICK PETERS, OF NEYVARK, AND FERDINAND OlIlllGER, OF

ELIZABETH, NEWV JERSEY.

LOCK-HOOK FOR HATS, COATS, 8w.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,324, dated April 10, 1900.

Application filed April 10, 1899.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FREDERICK PETERS, residingat Newark, in the county of Essex, and FERDINAND OHLIGER, residing at Eliza beth, in the county of Union, State of New Jersey, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lock-Hooks for Hats, Coats, &c.; and we. do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The objects of this invention are to secure a hat and coat hanger or hook adapted to lock the hat and coat'thereon, so that said hat or coat may be left in a public place without danger of being stolen, to provide for this purpose a construction simple and eifective and easily and cheaply manufactured, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with the description of the working parts.

The invention consists in the improved lock hook or hanger for hats, coats, and the like, and in the arrangements and combinations of parts of the same, all substantially as will be hereinafter set forth and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the views, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved hanger or hook. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is a key for service in unlocking the hook. Fig. lis asectional view taken on line as, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail side view of the lockingtongue in connection with a lock-tongueholding catch and its spring. Fig. 6 is a plan of the same; and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views, respectively, of said lock-tongue-holding catch and spring.

In said drawings, a indicates a suitable bed-plate or casting adapted to be fastened against the side walla of a room or other fixture, and at the lower end of said bedplate is cast a rigid supporting-hook b, the projecting end of which is turned upward to receive the loop of the overcoat or the band Serial No. 712,391. (No model.)

portion of a hat. At said upturned end of the hook I) the same is horizontally grooved at the front and back adjacent to the extremity, said grooves I) being adapted to re-' pressed or bent inward nearer together at the middle, as at 0 The contracted middle of the spring then grips the end of the hook 1) when sprung into place thereon, the wire lying in the opposite grooves 19'.

At the upper end of the bed-plate a the same is provided with a box-like formation at, which serves as a casing or inelosure for certain operating parts, the said box like formation being slotted at the top to receive a key 19, and at the front being vertically slotted to receive the upper and rear end of a locking-tongue f. The front of the vertically-slotted box-like formation is provided with forwardly-projecting ears (1, arranged one at each side of the vertical slot and serving as bearings for a fulcrumal pin or pivot g, upon which the locking-tongue operates. The said locking-tongue is curved downward from the fulcrumal pivot g to meet the upper end of the hook I), and is also provided at its end with grooves or notches f to receive a spring 0, similar to the one upon the hook I), to engage the opposite side of the hat or garment and prevent injury thereto.

When a hat is locked in place, then, as shown in outline in Fig. 3, the approaching ends of the hook I) and locking-tongue f lie near together on opposite sides of the hat or garment. in this position press the hat or garmentfirmly between themselves, but, because of their resiliency, without injury thereto. By providing broad surfaces between which the hat is grasped the springs further render impossible a mischievous removal of the hat by twisting it out of place between the hook I) and locking-tonguef.

At the upper and inner end of the lockingtongue f, where it lies within the box or case d, the same is provided with a series of teeth The springs c 0 when the parts are 9 or cogs h, arranged in a segment of a circle, and between said toothed extremity and the pivotal pin g a large aperture 1' is formed in the locking-tongue from side to side. This portion of the locking-tongue is also recessed at one side, as at j.

On the rear of the toothed segment and opposite the teeth or cogs h a downwardly-inclined shoulder, stop, or catch is formed on the wall of the aperture 2', providing a recess 70 beneath. Said inclined shoulder projects laterally beyond the thickness of the lockingtongue, as shown in Fig. 6, each lateral projectio'n being brought to a sharp edge at its top and extending downward at its lower part below the recess 70, said lower extension being of equal thickness with the toothed segment and terminating with its lower edge substantially in the plane of the bottom of the aperture 2', whereby a second or lower stop or catch 6 is formed, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Upon the inside of the box d, at one or both sides of the interior of said box-like formation and contiguous to' the stops or shoulders 70 Z on the locking-tongue f, is arranged a pivotal catch m, adapted to hold the lockingtongue in its locked position. Each lockingtongue-holding catch is pivoted at its lower end, as upon a screw 11., and extends upward into engagement at its upper end with one or the other of the said sto'ps or shoulders 70 Z, according as the locking-tongue f is partly or wholly closed. The top of the catch m is beveled, as at m, and at its side is a projecting stud m, adapted to engage the stops or shoulders on the lockingarm in a manner to be hereinafter more fully described. The catches 'm are held in such normal position by a spring 0, pressing against the front wall of the casing d, and when in said normal position the locking-tongue fis prevented from turning upon its fulcrumal pin, as will be understood. To release the said locking-tongue, so that it can be opened up and away from the hook I) to permit an arrangement of the garment thereon or its removal therefrom, we have employed a key 19 of peculiar construction. This key is adapted to pass through the top slot in the box-like ease or inclosure cl and is provided with a series of notches or openings q, adapted to coincide with the teeth or cogs upon the eccentric segment of the lockingarm f.

At one or both edges of the flat key and near the lower end a raised projection r is formed, preferably bystamping up a portion of the metal. As the key is forced into the slot said projections r engage the beveled ends "in of the catches m and swing said catches pivotally against the power of the springs 0 to throw the stud m out of engagement with the stop 70 or Z. Further movement of the key inward causes the notches q to receive and engage the cogs or teeth upon the lock ing-arm, and the same is moved upon its pivot to throw the outer lower end away from the hook I). The hat or garment can then be removed from the hook, and when replaced by another which it is desired to. lock in place the locking-arm fcan be easily forced down into place by the hand, the stud m of the catch an being suitably beveled, as at m to allow the stops or shoulders 7e Z to pass, and the key is thrown up into position to be taken by the person operating the device.

By varying the detail construction of the lockin g parts we are enabled to prevent the unlocking of the locking-tongue by persons not provided with a suitably-fitting key. These detail variations-such, for example, as changes in the width or number of the cogs or in the peculiar relation of the spring to the path of the keyserve as details tending to prevent improper manipulation of the lockhook, and the said detail changes may be varied to infinity Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

It is evident that our peculiar arrangement of cooperating hook and locking-arm may be employed for securing other things than hats and coats-such, for example, as umbrellas or bicycles. We do not wish, therefore, to be limited by the positive descriptive terms employed, except as the state of the art may require.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new is 1. In a lock-hook for coats, hats and the like, the combination with the fixed hook and upper casing, of a pivotal locking-arm having its rear end lying in said casing and provided with a broad extremity presentin g rearwardlyprojecting transverse teeth and having a lateral projection presenting a forwardly-projecting tooth, a key adapted to slide in said casing and being transversely slotted to engage the rearWardly-projecting teeth on the locking-arm and move said arm pivotally, and a spring-catch adapted to engage the forwardly-projecting tooth and being operated by the key, substantially as set forth.

2. In a lock-hook for coats, hats and the like, the combination with the fixed hook, of a pivotal locking-arm, having its rear end apertured near the extremity to leave a narrow transverse end wall, teeth projecting from the outside of said end wall and a tooth on the inner wall, a spring-actuated catch engaging said inner tooth to lock the arm in closed position and a thrust-key perforated to receive the outer teeth and engage them to move the arm pivotally, said key also having a projection or arm for operating the spring-catch, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands this 27th day of February, 1899.

FREDERICK PETERS. FERDINAND OHLIGER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, O. B. PITNEY. 

